Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
How good is the iMac speaker?
- Thread starter LFRG
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
It really depends on what your reference point is. What some people think is good, others will find merely adequate and some others will say it's rubbish. In a thread like this you'll get all kinds of responses.
My suggestion is to listen when you get the iMac and then let your ears decide whether the internal speakers are good enough or not.
My suggestion is to listen when you get the iMac and then let your ears decide whether the internal speakers are good enough or not.
The iMac speakers go quite loud but do not deliver a rich sound. If you really want to get caught up in a movie by rich sound and deep bass I would advice to get external speakers.
I use the Harman Kardon Soundsticks III, which are in my opinion the best PC speakers in it's pricerange (~150USD).
I am in no way an audiophile who hears different tones and heights in a song. I am however a fan of crisp sound and a punching bass. The Soundsticks do that for me.
Cheers
I use the Harman Kardon Soundsticks III, which are in my opinion the best PC speakers in it's pricerange (~150USD).
I am in no way an audiophile who hears different tones and heights in a song. I am however a fan of crisp sound and a punching bass. The Soundsticks do that for me.
Cheers
I suggest looking for a used Apple HiFi. You can get one for cheap on eBay and the sound is amazing with a TosLink cable!
The built-in speakers on all Apple computers have always been rubbish. I'd rather they use the hardware space for something more useful.
The built-in speakers on all Apple computers have always been rubbish. I'd rather they use the hardware space for something more useful.
Any external speaker, no matter how how cheap and basic, is vastly superior to the integrated iMac speaker. A pair of $30 Altec Lansings will blow it clear out of the water.
Integrated speakers are expressly for people who do not value sound quality.
I own the 2011 27" and have A-B tested many audio setups on it. There's really no way to get worse sound out of the iMac than using the integrated speakers. That's always going to be the case. An enormous part of a speaker's potential ability to deliver a good sound is the size of the diaphragm which, in this case, is about an inch and a half wide. That's like nothing.
The OP's question was about loudness - and they can get somewhat loud, but of course the louder you get the worse the sound quality, as the speakers are struggling to produce the sound.
Integrated speakers are expressly for people who do not value sound quality.
I own the 2011 27" and have A-B tested many audio setups on it. There's really no way to get worse sound out of the iMac than using the integrated speakers. That's always going to be the case. An enormous part of a speaker's potential ability to deliver a good sound is the size of the diaphragm which, in this case, is about an inch and a half wide. That's like nothing.
The OP's question was about loudness - and they can get somewhat loud, but of course the louder you get the worse the sound quality, as the speakers are struggling to produce the sound.
Personally, I don't use external speakers. Mostly because I have a glass desk and try to keep the wires/clutter down to the bare minimum. I do most of my movie viewing and music listening through my living room's entertainment center or in the bedroom TV and stereo. When I really want to turn it up, I just AirPlay to my other speaker systems though out my home and use those as my external speakers.
The speakers on the iMac are more than enough for watching a YouTube clip or listening to music in the background, while you work on something. Beware, though, that those speakers can be fragile. When I first got my iMac, in January, I was playing with it, trying to see how loud I could go and ended up blowing one of the speakers. I was left with a very audible "buzz" anytime I played songs with a lot of bass on it.
It is much better than Macbook's speaker. It has more bass to it and better clarity. Let's just say it's the same with your typical built-in TV speaker.
Adequate, but nothing special.
For me, the lack of clutter on my desk out weights the loss of sound quality. But i don't know what you prefer, so id suggest you listen to what everyone else's saying, try them out.
I find the iMac speakers to be comparable to a cheap pair of USB speakers. I'm not saying they're bad, personally I think they're quite good when you consider their size, but in all fairness even a $30 pair of Logitech LS-21 would be an improvement.
Can't really expect a lot from something this small.
Can't really expect a lot from something this small.
They are awesome, and the sound quality is excellent. Much better than any 'beats' laptop or 'high-end' PC all-in-one.
The only reason you'd get external speakers is if you wanted it louder, because the iMac speaker, although high quality, aren't as loud as a full blown stereo.
Otherwise, for casual movies and music, it's fine.
If you do want to get some speakers, I like the PC speakers by Bose.
The only reason you'd get external speakers is if you wanted it louder, because the iMac speaker, although high quality, aren't as loud as a full blown stereo.
Otherwise, for casual movies and music, it's fine.
If you do want to get some speakers, I like the PC speakers by Bose.